


lost moments, found feelings

by JDKoopa



Series: Scribble scrabble on the "typewriter" I drabble [11]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Angst, Character Death, Father-Daughter Relationship, Goodbyes, Wordcount: 500-1.000
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-16
Updated: 2020-02-16
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:53:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22748128
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JDKoopa/pseuds/JDKoopa
Summary: Byleth remembers her childhood with Jeralt as their time together comes to an end.
Relationships: Jeralt Reus Eisner & My Unit | Byleth
Series: Scribble scrabble on the "typewriter" I drabble [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1606549
Comments: 6
Kudos: 18
Collections: Those Who Drabble in the Dark





	lost moments, found feelings

**Author's Note:**

> written for Felannie drabble, prompt: "lost chances" - regret for a romance that could have been, or was desired (but could never be), to name a few options. 200-600 words (for real this time, I'm in the limit)

"You're leaving too many openings." Her father scolded her, though he sounded more amused than angry. "Keep your elbows in, and stay on the balls of your feet. The most important part of swordplay isn't your arms, it's your legs."

Byleth pulled in her elbows and adjusted her stance so that she was putting her weight forward. When her father swung his wooden sword at her, she was able to dodge him, though when she swung her own weapon in retaliation he effortlessly stepped out of reach.

"Not bad, kid. You're picking up the basics. Looks like you're starting to feel better too. You had me worried for a while, but now that you’re healthy you can join the company soon.”

Byleth wasn’t sure how to express her feelings. Jeralt had been taking care of her since she was little. She had vague memories of him rushing her to Remire Village one day seeking help after she had collapsed.

The villagers had been very kind, and a place was prepared for her to recover. She saw worried expressions on the faces of all the adults and tried to smile to put their minds at ease. Jeralt had seen the smile in her eyes, but her face remained neutral. 

This continued over the next few years, as Byleth slowly regained her strength. The other kids played games with her, they laughed and smiled, yet she could never bring those expressions to anything other than her eyes.

Eventually, Jeralt decided to make it official. They moved into the village and Jeralt started a mercenary company, which mostly served to protect the little village and its neighbors. He had always told Byleth that she could join when she got healthy, and today she was finally ready.

“Well look at that, you even figured out how to smile!” Jeralt was ecstatic as he scooped Byleth off the ground in a giant bear hug. “I never thought I’d see the day! Let’s go tell everyone the good news.” Jeralt put Byleth up on his shoulders and hung onto her legs as he ran around town. 

“Look at my little girl!” he cried to all his neighbors and friends, who came out to see what he was making a fuss about this time. This wasn’t the first time Jeralt had carried Byleth around the town, though it was the first time Byleth had been able to smile from the heart, and she was met with beaming faces from all her friends..

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Byleth was shaken from her memory when her father’s hand fell from her face. She was holding his body, which was still warm. His eyes were closed, and he was smiling, so it looked like he might just be sleeping after a drunken night as he had been so many times.

This time, however, Byleth knew he wouldn’t be waking. She looked at him, tears streaming down her face. The students had left her, though Claude and Dimitri were still watching her from a distance to make sure nothing happened.

Byleth remained there for hours. She cried as if a dam had burst behind her eyes. This was the man who had raised her. He had taught her everything she knew. He had paraded her around town just because she smiled for the first time.

Jeralt had always been there. Now, when she needed him most, he was gone.

She screamed defiantly, willing him to come back to her, but she knew it was useless. In their last moments together, Byleth was unsure if she was able to express what he really meant to her.

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/John_D_Coop?s=09)


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